Haemodynamic effects of frusemide in patients suspected of having acute myocardial infarction.

The haemodynamic effects of intravenous and intramuscular injections of 40 mgfrusemide were studied in I7 patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction. Sixteen of the patients had either clinical or radiographic evidence of left ventricular dysfunction. There was an average diuresis of 7I0 ml during the 6o minutes after the injection. Haemodynamic data were obtained before and at I5, 30, and 6o minutes after the injection. Sixty minutes after the intravenous injection there were significant falls in the pulmonary artery diastolic pressure (P< o-ooI), pulmonary arterial wedge mean pressure (P< o oo5), cardiac output (P< o o5), and stroke volume (P< o oo5). There was also a significant rise in the peripheral vascular resistance at 30 minutes (P< o oo5). No significant alterations occurred in the right atrial pressure, arterial systolic pressure, heart rate, or pulmonary arterial and systemic arterial oxygen saturations. Sixty minutes after the intramuscular injection, a significant fall occurred in the pulmonary artery diastolic (P< o o2) pressure together with a significant rise in the peripheral vascular resistance (P< o o5). There